


A Good Magician Never Tells

by Freedoms_Champion



Series: Malcolm Merlyn's Mom Moments [7]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Gen, LOA training, Malcolm keeps finding kids to look after, Minor Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance, Unexpected Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27764641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedoms_Champion/pseuds/Freedoms_Champion
Summary: During her training with the League of Assassins, Sara gets an unexpected teacher. She never knew Tommy's dad had so many secrets.This time, Malcolm can't do much to help, but that won't stop his motherly streak from trying.
Relationships: Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance
Series: Malcolm Merlyn's Mom Moments [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765921
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	A Good Magician Never Tells

**Author's Note:**

> Timeline, what's that? I know Malcolm wasn't part of the League when Sara joined, but I'm fudging the details a bit for comedic purposes.
> 
> Please enjoy, comments welcome, and have a fantastic day!

“Ta-er al-Sahfer, Ra’s al Ghul has commanded me to teach you escapism,” a man said. Sara jerked away from Nyssa, her face already starting to burn with embarrassment. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t be ashamed of who she found attractive, but Nyssa had made it clear her father would never approve of them. Since Sara had nowhere else to go, she really didn’t want to offend the Demon’s Head.

By the time Sara regained her composure, Nyssa had brought the man to his knees, though her sword lay in the sand several feet away. Not many other people would have realized the tension in her voice was embarrassment rather than anger, but Sara knew. She wished she could reassure Nyssa things would be okay. Before she got the chance, Nyssa stormed away without collecting her sword.

The man got to his feet, rubbing a rapidly forming bruise on his jaw. Nyssa had called him Al Sa-her, the Magician, but Sara gaped at him in recognition.  
“Mr. Merlyn? What are you doing here?”

None of it made sense. How could Tommy’s dad know anything about the League of Assassins, much less be standing in front of her wearing the League uniform? He had disarmed Nyssa! Sara couldn’t make the man she had known since childhood square with the balanced, dangerous warrior she was looking at.

“That’s a long story, Sara,” he said quietly. “So, you survived the Gambit. Is there anyone else here with you?”

“No, it’s just me.” Sara felt her voice shake and blinked hard to keep tears from forming in her eyes. Ivo’s boat had been a nightmare. The island after it had been worse. She had vowed when she joined the League that she would forget about her past. “I think Ollie’s dead. He said his father was gone too.”

Malcolm Merlyn regarded her with an unreadable expression. Sara lifted her chin and met that gaze head-on. If he was a member of the League, then he would respect it, rather than treating her the way he had in the past. Not that he had noticed her very often.

“Sit down, Sara. Ra’s gave me a job to do,” he said finally, gesturing to a wooden chair while he gathered up a coil of rope. Sara obeyed and he tied her arms and legs firmly.

“The first thing you must do in any situation is know how to get out of it. Never go somewhere unless you can leave it again. As part of your training, I will teach you to escape any kind of restraint, from ropes and manacles to zip ties. Why haven’t you gone back to your family?”

The question surprised her. It wasn’t like Malcolm to care about other people. “I’m ashamed to face them,” she finally said honestly. “I went on that boat with my sister’s boyfriend. All the things I’ve seen and done since… Facing Laurel would have been hard enough if going with Ollie was the worst thing I’d done. They wouldn’t want me back if I went.”

Malcolm nodded, twisting his mouth into a brief grimace. “No matter what vows you take, the past has a way of catching up to you. Train hard, but don’t forget who you are,” he said. “Now, you’ll find yourself in this position fairly often, so this is how to escape a chair, no matter what kind of restraints they use…”

Sara rubbed her wrists at the end of the lesson. Not only did the skin feel raw, but the muscles in her forearms felt strained. Still, she had made progress and that was one more tool she would have to keep herself safe.

“Are you going to tell my family where I am?” she asked hesitantly.

“What’s the point? They wouldn’t believe a place like Nanda Parbat could exist and even if they did, they couldn’t get here to rescue you. They’d suffer if I told them and Ra’s would learn of it. That could put you in danger. And don’t ask me to carry a message. I won’t.”

Sara nodded. Disappointment still flooded her, even though she hadn’t intended to send a message. “Why are you teaching me? Shouldn’t you want me to leave the League?”

“I’m retired from the League, but it doesn’t do to irritate the Demon’s Head. He asked me to teach a promising new member. I’ll do my best because it’s the only thing I can do to help you thrive here. Sara, you’ve made your choice and there’s nothing I can do to alter it. You’ll learn that the League has a way of making you good at making the most of bad situations. It’s good that you’re close to Nyssa. Ra’s indulges her and it’ll protect you from some of the worst things the League does.”

He shrugged and headed for the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow for our next lesson.”

Sara nodded. The door closed, leaving her alone for the moment. The people here had a habit of appearing without warning, which meant moments of solitude should be cherished. Nyssa’s sword still lay on the ground. Sara picked it up and watched the torchlight shimmer in the polished metal.

Familiar new teacher or not, she had duties to attend to. She donned her mask and got back to work.


End file.
